Just 8 months after my diagnosis with MS I also developed Vitiligo (an autoimmune disease effecting the pigmentation of skin). I think there is a lot of legitimacy to further research in the area of "double dipping." My skin doctor said that it is common for people to develop more than one auto immune disease. Very unfortunate!
Hi, I just read your story and I too have MS and RA. I was diagnosed with MS in 1998 and RA in 2008. Just being able to hear that someone else out there is going thru some of the same things I am allows for some sense of understanding and manageability. Hang in there. Even though I have these autoimmune dieseases I still am very blessed. I have a wonderful family for support and God is always watching out for me and you. Smiles and Hugs
Nyla Meek
Nyla,
I am amazed at how many people living with MS also have RA. There seems to be a strong connection there. So glad to hear that your life is blessed. Mine is too. It is wonderful to know people who understand.
You might want to check out the RA site here. I also write posts there. It's very nice to meet you. Take care.
Hello Lisa,
I'm wondering if I might be a "triple dipper"! I was diagnosed with MS in '94, Chrohn's Disease in '96 and since my mother's recent diagnosis of RA, (RA negative form) - I'm wondering if I'm beginning to show symptoms of that as well. I thought I'd just google MS and RA so I could dismiss the idea that I could have both of these, and here I am; found this blog. In the past month or so, I've awoken in the morning, only to be really sore/stiff in my toes and fingers and for the first time that I've noticed, its 1:35 am and my fingers are getting quite sore; right hand 4 and 5th fingers to be exact. Looks like it might not be a bad idea to discuss this at my annual neurologist appointment later in October. Here I thought with the MS and Crohn's, I'd miss other significant diseases, but now I'm really beginning to wonder. Good luck to you and all the others who have posted. I will see if I'll be joining your club. Thanks for your posts.
Hi Anonymous,
Sorry to here about your multiple diseases and the recent RA diagnosis for your mother. My mom also has multiple autoimmune diseases...must run in the family.
Sounds like an excellent idea to discuss your new symptoms with your neurologist. I have a blogging friend who also has MS, RA, and Crohn's disease. Her name is Anne and she blogs at Disabled Not Dead. She's very helpful.
Sorry to hear about the extra stiffness. To be honest, I'm an amazed at the number of searches regarding MS and RA which lead to my regular blog, Brass and Ivory. Lots of people looking for information regarding this combination.
Before I was diagnosed with RA, it was recommended that I take double doses of Aleve. Not to give any medical recommendations but to share what my neurologist had suggested to me.
I hope that you are feeling less stiffness and pain soon. Thanks for commenting and please feel welcome to come back as often as you like.
Lisa
I have RA and I might have MS. One of the RA meds I take, an anti-TNF drug called Enbrel (etanercept,) has been associated with the development of MS. I'm very worried about how this will effect my treatment regimen for both diseases if I'm diagnosed with MS in addition to the RA I have.
Hi BMN,
So sorry to hear that you may be developing MS. It is true that the anti-TNF drugs can be associated with demyelinating diseases, like MS. But there really are more of us who have both RA and MS than I believe that "official" information available leads us to believe.
I was dx with MS first and thus have never used one of the anti-TNF drugs. Instead, I was using methotrexate and sulfasalazine. Plaquenil and I didn't get along. Just recently, however, I started using Rituxan to treat the RA (and we're hoping helps the MS too, based upon previous clinical trials of Rituxan use in MS).
Having MS does limit your choices in how you can treat the RA, but there are still choices remaining. I stopped the sulfasalazine cause we weren't sure that it was really helping me any. I still take methotrexate and wouldn't give that up as I KNOW it helps me.
Please let us know how it's going and perhaps create a Sharepost to talk about the anti-TNF and MS/nerve connection. So many people are not aware of it and it helps to get more information online for others to find.
Good luck.
Hi Lisa, I was interested to read about your experiences with having these two nasties! My daughter was diagnosed with MS 2.5 yrs ago by her GP, sent to a rheumatologist who dismissed this and decided just to scan her anyway and yes the GP was right! She hasn't been too bad - some numbness and vertigo and of course the fatigue - she has four children aged 9 and under. We worked hard to make sure the eldest three were as independent as possible i.e. dressing themselves and getting breakfast etc. then she had the fourth (welcome and unexpected) baby 16 months ago. She is remitting/ relapsing.
3 weeks ago she was treated for the first time for MS pain and did not respond to the anti convulsant drug prescribed and in fact got worse by the day. To cut a long story short she was admitted to hospital with acute pain and after 3 days diagnosed with RA. Her MS nurse was very dismissive of all the tests (mainly to eliminate other illnesses) before this diagnosis and wanted to put her pain down to a kidney infection! We realised that MS was not an insurance policy protecting against other illnesses but I was very surprised to read all the comments here that others have 'double dippers' and more.......People have asked if now she has RA if this means she doesn't have MS.
At the moment the treatment is just methotrexate and she is still in excruciating pain which seems to flit from joint to joint and she is having heavy pain relief including morphine patches and oral morph, diclofenic and over the counter pills too. We used to fear wheelchairs and aids for the disabled but now we fear her pain.
We are all longing for her to be pain free and have read that it can vary from person to person but are hoping it will start to improve at 6 weeks.
Kind regards, Sharon (UK)
Hi Sharon,
I'm sorry to hear that your daughter has become a "double dipper." Although I keep meeting more and more patients who live with MS and RA online, I am still amazed to meet yet one more.
I also got the question - "does this mean you don't really have MS?" - at the beginning. I would usually respond with - "No, I'm just really special" - with a bit of humor. I remember being in such horrendous pain before being dx with RA, but fortunately methotrexate worked very well for me.
Since your daughter has MS, she will not be able to use any of the RA drugs which are known as anti-TNF therapies (including Humira, Enbrel, Remicade, etc). I have just started using Rituxan which works in a different way. So far the response has been very good.
Rituxan has been studied in MS and results from early studies were positive in Relapsing-remitting MS patients. This is one reason my neurologist and rheumatologist have decided to try this approach.
Please let your daughter know that she can contact me here anytime. I like trying to get to know other patients who truly do have the most in common with my own health status. We are here to support each other.
Hi Lisa & Friends,
I feel more at home here with every new posting. I know I've spoken about my mysterious rash numerous times over the last year +, but it seems that yesterday we came up with the answer DESPITE the various drs: VITILIGO! None of the drs even came close to that.
I do alternative treatments weekly with a wonderful healer who has become a close friend over the years of her taking care of me. Last week she mentioned VITILIGO, but I didn't quite understand what she said, blaming that on her Russian accent. Some new spots appeared on Sat-Sun on spots that are NOT exposed to sun. The original dx by 3 dermatologists was "sun damage". These new spots told me that the sun was not involved in anything.
So, I showed the spots to my healer yesterday when she came to give me my weekly. She immediately said VITILIGO. This time I made sure to get the name exactly and googled it after my treatment. Guess what! She's been right all along! So much for conventional medicine.
Just to rehash an old story, I've been on Betaferon since 2001. Over the past year + I've started having extreme hair loss and this rash. I really think the Beta. has a lot to do with these things in addition to killing my liver.
As to the "tiple dipper (whammie 
), I was dx with MS + FMS in 1998 and now this.
Wishes for happy days with NO PAIN (I would settle for less 
).
Peace & Serenity,
Maris
Hi Maris,
Wow, I wouldn't have thought vitiligo when you first talked about a rash. My piano teacher in college had vitiligo which was visible on his hands/arms/face. I'm sure it was elsewhere too.
I always believed that vitiligo was an autoimmune disorder. Just now in reading, it looks like it can sometimes be caused by a rash or sun damage. That these factors trigger it and then it can spread to other places on the body. Basically, like MS, they don't know for sure what causes it.
I'm glad that you finally got an answer. Triple-whammy....sorry. But we love you all the same. :)
Lisa
Lisa,
Thanks for the additional info. I didn't know it was so common. I wrote to my neuro about it and my ideas, but he doesn't think it calls for a change of treatment.
I've also kept checking a come up with 2 more possibilities: ringworm and Pityriasis (tinea) versicolor. I'll "attack" the derma tomorrow with all of these possibilities and see what she thinks . I'll keep you posted.
Have a great day,
Maris
Early on in my journey, several doctors strongly suggested that I had MS. Then test results started pointing toward lupus and I was diagnosed. The same doctors that had suggested MS kept saying that they felt that I had it, but at that time, many of doctors thought that it was " impossible" to have more than one auto immune disease and tried to steer me away from the MS and told me to stop thinking about it. When I got to the point that I could not walk, then they started looking more closely and took me serious. That was over a period of close to 10 years. I also have a couple of pain disorders and Sjorgren's and several others which all relate into MCTD. So I guess I'm not just a " double dipper" but I extend beyond that. I have been very fortunate this year and have had the best year in almost 20 years. I'm thankful for every day . For any of you with multiple disorders, don't let the names discourage you but enjoy every day and try to do the things that bring pleasure to you. I try to enrich the lives of senior citizens who are my neighbors and they tend to be isolated. I try to email them and just encourage them and they give me a lot of history and the insight that they've gained over the years. This is invaluable , and it is so enjoyable to see them smile and enjoy talking about their former lives. This is a great diversion for me as well as providing something a way for me to feel useful. This tends to help me cope with multiple disorders, and thanks for your posting of your journey. Wishing you the best. It helps to know that others understand the life that we live and our limitations and struggles. I've turned to homeopathics and supplements as I cannot tolerate many of the medications prescribed for treatment. I have found that they have been as hard as the disease process as far as the side effects that I personally suffer.
Hi itbgct,
Wow, you certainly have your plate full with Mixed Connective Tissue Disease (MCTD) and MS. My mom has MCTD and it started out with a Lupus diagnosis many years ago. Instead of Sjogren's, she has Scleroderma. It's not fun, that's for sure.
I hope that at least with the MS dx you have found treatment which helps a bit, even though you go the homeopathic route more often. At least treatment for flare-ups.
I should tel you that I have an online friend who had been diagnosed with MS. Treatments were doing nothing for her, in fact she was getting worse. After lots of investigation, the doctors finally figured out that she has neurological manifestations of Sjogren's instead of MS. Read http://www.sjogrensworld.org/mandel.htm for more information. Just something to throw out there.
Sorry you are a double-dipper, too. However, good recommendation on living life the best you can despite the name of the disease or diagnosis. Thanks so much!
I am so glad I found your blog as I too am a "double dipper". After reading all the comments I feel very fortunate that both my RA and MS were diagnosed fairly quickly. I've had fibromyalgia for almost 20 years now so I was no stranger to pain but in 2006 when I begin to have roving joint 'episodes" it was excruciating. A different joint would flare up, be miserable for 24 hours then disappear. I was also losing function in my hands which made doing my job as a registered nurse somewhat challenging. I was diagnosed after only 4 months with positive RA and ANA titers. I began on methotraxate, prednisone and Humera first. I've now been on Embrel and Remicade too . In March of this year I had my last Remicade infusion because it wasn't working, we were switching to Orencia. At this same time I began what I now know was my first relapse for MS. I became extremely clumsy, was having a difficult time concentrating and was crying over everything also lots of areas of tingling in my legs. I just felt horrible and had no idea why then the numbness in my face started. I asked for the MRI's and the lesions were found. My neurologist started me on Copaxone injections but it makes treating the RA a challenge. I can't get under 20 mg of Prednisone a day or I can't walk. We're getting ready to move to Ft Myers, FL to be closer to family. I'll be interested to hear how the Rituxin goes. I would love to be able to get off Prednisone at some point. Thanks for listening to my story.
Hi Kim,
So glad that you took the time to write. It does sound like you were diagnosed quickly with first the RA, then the MS. That's good. How are you doing now at work? Does either disease affect your ability to fulfill your nursing duties?
Regarding Rituxan, I'm really glad that I switched last fall. My RA had been sorta under control, however after my very first Rituxan infusion, I discovered what less swelling in my hands feels like. My RA is much better under control now, but I would never give up the methotrexate if I had to make a choice.
I'll be going for the 3rd round of infusions in November. So far we don't really know for sure if it is helping the MS, but I haven't had a humongous relapse since summer '09. However, I do have smaller issues going on so we are trying pulse steroids for a few months. It seems to be keeping things quiet.
Please let me know how Orencia is working for you. :)
So I was just snooping around since I have some new things going on and have the above known issues. I have been on pred for almost 10 years. Slowly coming off it! Take Humira, MTX, sulfasalazine, synthroid, leukovorin (for MTX issues). Recently had a very strange visual problem. Ring of light in vision in right eye, not a complete ring but 80% of it was there. Following that I lost vision in the lower right visual field. PCP sent me to ER, then next day to Optho, who sent me to retina center who referred me to Neuro Optho doctor. Had MRI that showed scattered punctate T2 hyperintensity in white matter tracts. Radiologist (not aware of full medical history) says probably nothing. Neuro Optho jsut called and said 'see me in 2 months'. During all this i have asked if it was medication related, another autoimmune problem etc. The vision has gotten better but is still a problem. Should I push anything or just be ok with them saying it may be an occular migraine? Have migraines but none like this ever.
Thanks in advance for any input.
Lisa
Hi Lisa,
So sorry that you are going through this right now. Of course, my first thoughts in reading your story are optic neuritis, demyelination (which is a rare potential side-effect of the anti-TNF drugs), possible MS if you experience another attack or develop more lesions over time. That's my honest reaction.
Then, it's time to step back and consider that migraines can cause lesions. Migraines can cause visual disturbances. Having migraines is a disease which I do not know much about.
I'd definitely keep that appointment with the neuro-opthalmologist. Go to that appointment armed with information and questions.
So how are you feeling now? Is your vision restored yet? Are you experiencing any other symptoms which might not seen related?
Thanks for your answer. I was sent to my rheumy for a check up. She increased the pred back to the 5 mg a day I was on a while ago. I so wanted to get off that drug. But in the 2 weeks since then my vision is better but still not normal. She thinks it is possible that I also have MS. She was not surprised at all. I think I still am kind of surprised. Guess I was hoping that one autoimmune thing was enough. Will see a neurologist on Nov. 5th. Not sure if any of the other things I do are related or not. Usually think of stiff legs as part of the RA. More recently though I was told I have been walking 'funnier' than usual for a few months. The co-worker described it as stiff looking in my ankles and knees. I have not had any increased pain in those joints so who knows. I drop things more than I had been but again I just thought that with the cooler days/nights I am just getting stiff hands more frequently. I am sure they will do a detailed assessment in the neuros office. My TSH is up again and my urge to sleep 24/7 is worse. Hopefully they will get it all figured out and something will be done to help all around so I can at least stay upright for more than a couple hours before wanting to nap...which is what I think I am off to do now.
Thanks again!
So I got to the neurologist today. Thought it would be a good thing. After looking at the MRI and poking with soemthing sharp, then poking again, then again....he sat down and said "Well i don't think it is MS." I said 'GREAT" right away. I should have held that response and waited for the other shoe to drop. I was thinking cool, I can go home and not worry. Then came the "It's Devic's Syndrome" comment. Not really knowing much about it I did not get alarmed right away. He said he needed to do one more MRI of c-spine and t-spine so he would get my baseline and that I would be back to see him after that to discuss where to go from here for tracking my 'progress' and to determine what to do and when. After getting home I looked Devic's syndrome up. Not really something I should have said GREAT about. I also see that this is considered a variation of MS by some neurologists. If anyone has any further information on the latest diagnosis if you could pass it on that would be greatly appreciated.
sptddog
Hi sptddog,
I would have been like you, happy to hear that the dr thinks it's not MS. Devic's Disease is also known as Neuromyelitis Optica (NMO). They used to think that it was a rare form of MS, but now it is known that NMO is a separate disease.
Here are some places where you can find reliable information:
Transverse Myelitis Association
Merck Manual
Neuromyelitis Optica, article on United Spinal's MS Scene website
Here are some articles (there are so many) which you may find useful.
Neuromyelitis Optica, a journal article from 2006 (pdf)
Another article from the journal Lancet, a bit clinical in nature (pdf)
Treatment of NMO with Rituxan, results of a study (pdf)
But here is a great website dedicated to NMO (Guthy-Jackson Institute) which has lots of information and links to other resources, including forums. They are even having a Patient Day webcast next week.
In addition to the forums at the Guthy-Jackson website, there is a Facebook group and forums on the Transverse Myelitis website.
Please don't try to read everything all at once!!
I am acquainted with a few people online who have NMO. One is named Grace and I see that she is active on many websites. She's a powerhouse of information.
Grace is one of the NMO patients who uses Rituxan to treat the disease. Rituxan is being studied as a possible treatment for NMO. This is the same Rituxan which is used in Rheumatoid Arthritis. (I'm using it as well right now.)
Good luck, and please do let me know how things are going. Although this is titled as an MS site, I think that discussions of Devic's Disease would be appropriate here. Consider starting your own thread if you wish.
I'll be thinking about you.
LIsa
Hi Im a registered nurse who is totally fed up with mainstream medicine's refusal to look for the cause of all of our disabling auto immune disorders, while continuing to make a fortune from all the orga destroying medications that they try on us. My life has been a long snowballing journey developing symptoms of one disease after another that mainstream docs had no clue about. They were more than happy to prescribe numerous pharmaceutical drugs and various "therapies" and appliances that never worked, but they never even thought about what was CAUSING any of my symptoms. As many of you, I had to read and practically diagnose myself every time. Here's a small list of my health history followed by the common cause of most, if not all, of these horrid disorders.
Allergies and ezcema (bad), asthma (that I finally self-diagnosed my first year in nursing school), dysmennorrhea and fainting and facial sweating during my periods.......that got farther and farther apart til 12 weeks apart ad facial hair growth by age 29 (docs said I should be happy that I hardly ever had a periods and could save money on sanitary pads-idiots), chronic fatique, pain in muscles if poked gently and then fibromyalgia and arthritic pain and stiffness, many miscarriages, chemical senstivities (started with perfumes and formaldehyde and expanded), numerous food allergies, irritiable bowel sydrome(started in early twenties), migraines began and for several years were present 24/7 (until I had hydrogen peroxide I.V.'s (oxidative IV therapy) and thyroid and progesterone supplementation (I had told the other docs for YEARS about having ALL the symptoms of low thyroid to no avail), I also was diagnosed with Epstien Barr sydrome and systemic Candidiasis (which antibiotics caused, but also I later discovered that mercury can cause as well), I had narcolepsy and SEVERE post-partum depression after my first two children even though I felt awesome during the pregancies due to the progesterone from the placental, I was briefly well after the kind doctor (alternative-someone who actually read, studied the research, and risked his license to provide real answers, cuases, and resversal of disease using nutritional supplementation, bio-identical hormones (not the crappy cancer-causing ones that big pharma has most docs prescribe), I got terrible ill with many recurring symptoms as soon as OB docs insisted I have IV antibiotics all during my labor (for stupid strepB positive culture-which is solved better and safely by using tea tree oil/olive oil soaked tampons briefly), Also I nearly died from a strage reaction to the several Intrathecal spinal anesthetic injections used to alleviate labor pain (using a T.E.N.S. is safer,but U.S. docs get big money from anesthesia and don't offer it like european OB docs do$$$).....My left face went numb and my ears rang and I got tunnel vision and legs went numb I begged not to let me go to sleep for fear I would never come out of it alive...my baby need to be resusitated at birth, my bowel headaches and asthma problems all came back, I had bladder weakness, fine tremor, weakness in legs and hands and terrible pain in muscles, shoulders, spine andother areas, CFS bif time, my right hand was the first thing that was weak, but i soon started falling when walking, vision was poor, eyeball headaches (which was probably optic neuritis, dizziness por depth perception and related clumsiness (knocked glasses over at table, etc), during my next pregnancy I had HORRIBLE asthma (and reacted to toothpaste everynight-since learned that fluoride is toxic and reacts with other metals and chemicals to cause MANY neurologic disorders and asthma), My uvula swelled a few times in the night and it was so boggy and elongated that i had to go to E.R. (and have docs there baffled), turns out that mercury vapors (from dental materials-aka "silver fillings are half mercury!) can cause this as well as all neurological and autoimmune and hormone diseases and candida etc etc. (compare the symptoms of mercury poisoning and M.S. and Autism and ALzheimers...hmm...seems that they are very similar if not identical). Six months after my fourth child was born (with more spinal anesthetics (that contain fluoro-compounds as well as MSG an excitotoxin as well as other METALS and neurotoxic chemicals and drugs!) I got sicker and sicker til one day I woke up with the room spinning and a blinding eyeball and spinal type headache. Docs gave me more useless organ damaging pahramaceuticals without a proper diagnosis. I may have had undiagosed menigitis or encephalitis as well as a blinding case of optic neuritis and M.S. attack....again I had to figure it out myself since mainstream docs are incompetent whee I live and I have to travel out of state to access decent docs who utilize nutritionand research-based "alternative" treatments that FDA and AMA outlaw. Next i got breast cancer (inflammatory-type that the cattle-stall operations at the "Breast Clinic" know squat about) and reversed it with help from out of state doc. Besides doing detox and nutritional therapies and correcting dangerous estrogen dominance, I was urged to "get my mercury fillings replaced by a special biological dentist (because mercury and ccadmium and other metals cause cancer)...I never did this because I got rid of the cancer without removing the mercury fillings.This was stupid, but I did not realize until recently thatmercury causes nearly Every DISEASE known to modern man,including neurological and auto immunediseases like we all have!!! Metals are TOXIC to us. Candida in our gut try to recue us by gobbling up the mercury so it doesn't attach to our brain and nerve cells and induce autoimune attacks and demyelination! Yes, we then have to share our nutrition with the over abundant critters and the malnutrition and symptoms are not desriable, but far better than the horrid neurological and autoimmune disease we get instead. Every time I tried to exercise to lose weight or to kill the Candida with meds I would get really ill (like the flu and spinal and head pains for days! It was due to my fat cells releasing the metals and chemicals that my body had stored safely away to save my life and brain....losing weight caused toxic dumping back into my blood stream and to my nervous system. Why do autoimmune and neurological disorders seem to run in families? Not simply weak genes. You also must have environmental exposures and triggers to induce these. I had genetic tests last year....what runs in both sides of my family is a slower detox pathway that makes it harder for us to excrete metals and chemical (including pharmaceutical drugs). Not that mercury, aluminum, fluoride, cadmium, iron, copper, nickel, and pesticides and neurotoxins are good for ANYONE...but it will DEFINITELY induce disease symptoms sooner and more severe in families and individuals who can't get the metals out fast enough. Why do dentists venomosly refuse to discuss the toxic effects of mercury and mixed metal "silver" fillings with patients? Fear, greed, ignorance, and severe penalties imposed by their trade union (ADA). Why do doctors give dangerous meds with unpronouncable names to us to "manage" our symptoms instead of reading the scientific research and getting at the cause and helping us to prevent and/or reverse our diseases? Fear, greed, ignorance, and severe penalties imposed by their trade union (AMAand FDA controlled by money from big pharma). We lose because corporations must protect their profits and maintain and ever increasing patient-customer base by keeping us from getting well so we'll need to use their medical technologies to monitor our progress (digression) and buy their patented drugs to "manage" our symptoms. We are accepting their various labels of our symptoms when infact we all have the same thing wrong with us.....metal and chemical toxins destroying our health. I suggest you ditch the toxic meds and free yoourselves from bif pharma and their puppet-drug pushers and get at the cause of your symptoms. Save yourselves and your family members froma slow death and loss of normal function, mental ability, and good health. Search these doctors and thier research, books, and websites, Matthias Rath (online academy and other sites to learn the dark history of chemical and pharmaceutical companies), Russell Blaylock (neurologist and researcher)and many more. I studied the history of American Medicine in collge recently as well as corporate funding of world war II. The truth will sicken you, but can help you protect your family from ending up with the autoimmune and neurological disorders that we have.
Hi,
I am enjoying reading your blog. I was diagnosed with RA 30 years ago and MS 8 years ago.I also have fibromyalgia. I have tried lots of meds through the years. I was on Rituxan and it really helped. I loved not having to give myself a shot 3x a week. Unfortunately after 4 years I had a reaction to it. I then tried immuran which did not help so I am hoping to try Orencia next. My RA really likes to kick up when I am not on some "heavy duty" med.
Happy Mother's Day!
Many, Many PEOPLE have been diagnosed with MS by MRI. Unfortunately that is not the case. I was put thru three years of
YECKY Neuros!
Finally I called the MS Society and they sent me to a MS (I call him my prima-donna), in Atlanta. Best choice in my medical life!
YOU MUST, YOU MUST have a spinal tap to confirm MS. Don't be misdiagnosed with MS if you haven't had the spinal. I might be something else.
I'm not preaching, I finally have found a blog that is dedicated to people, well put together, and especially great support.
Just beware!
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Hi Lisa,
Thank you for sharing your MS/RA history. I find it very interesting the more I learn about autoimmune diseases the more I think there must be many connections and it seems to me they do run in families. Your Mom has lupus, my Dad had RA, sister has
celiac/sprue (gluten intolerance) and my niece has MS. Strange that out of 10 participants in the chatroom three were double dippers (great term by the way). When I was diagnosed with Lupus and RA on top of the MS my neurologist said it isn't common - but hmmmmm.
I also read your past piece on Frankenstein, Ginger and Me. Boy can I relate to that one also. I take Baclofen also and I'm thinking of increasing it because I'm having so much stiffness. Boris Karloff had nothing on me
It's good advice about the folic acid when taking Methotrexate- my hair was really starting to fall out (then I'd be like Elmer Fudd AND Boris) yikes! I'm taking four tablets a day so I guess that's 4mg.
I can't tell you how much I appreciate having found this site and the great advice I've already received from you and others. I am going ahead with starting Copaxone after I use my last Avonex injection. It's a bit scary because I always felt the Avonex was protecting me. I hope Copaxone will do the same AND maybe save my liver to boot
Thank you, Lisa. I can tell you are a very kind, caring person.
Nancy D (fellow double-dipping immunie!)
Nancy,
After writing this and mentioning it on my personal MS blog, a couple other MSers mentioned being double-dippers (or soon to be diagnosed dx). There is definite research going on into the common threads which run between various autoimmune diseases which would also explain the genetics involved.
Thank you for the comment about me being a kind and caring person. I sincerely try to give the best assistance I can to others, whether that's an answer to a question, sharing my experiences or opinions, or just offering a word of support. I am also fed by the kindness of others, so I appreciate your nice words too.
I'm glad that you are finding the information and support here useful. I gain as much from the readers as any one of us.
Thanks,
Lisa